Message From the Editor
“Our planet is screaming for action,” former Vice President Al Gore declared at Climate Week in New York City this past week. “Fossil fuels are choking our future.”
But what happens when protesters do take action to defeat large-scale environmental projects? DeSmog’s TJ Jordan pulls back the curtain on a chilling example that underscores the stakes involved for climate activists: The role of British-owned PR firm, WPP, in quashing pipeline protests in Uganda.
TJ reveals that WPP played a significant role in helping government authorities harass and arrest protesters against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) through sophisticated PR strategies to undermine the resistance.
The 1,443-kilometer/almost 900-mile pipeline, set to slice
through Uganda and Tanzania, poses severe threats to ecosystems, communities, and our climate. Yet, a WPP subsidiary crafted narratives that downplayed the environmental impact and demonized the protesters – to disastrous effect.
This story isn't just about Uganda; it’s a global tale of how corporate and government interests can manipulate public perception and stifle environmental justice. Take, for instance, the July oil spill in Louisiana’s Bayou Lafourche. This week DeSmog reports that Crescent Midstream, the culprit behind the spill, caused sickening fumes to envelop the area, raising immediate concerns about air quality and public health. Surprisingly, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported no threat of air pollution during this crisis.
The EPA’s assessment seems to contradict the lived experiences of the residents who reported symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and nausea. How can an agency tasked with protecting our environment and health come to such a conclusion? Read more here.
Also, check out our new map of Ireland’s powerful farming lobby, which illustrates a “well-oiled machine” of influence that campaigners say is preventing the nation from meeting its climate targets.
Have a story tip or feedback? Get in touch: [email protected]. Want to know what our UK team is up to? Sign up for our UK newsletter.
Thanks,
Brendan DeMelle
Executive Director
P.S. Readers like you power our journalism dedicated to climate accountability. Can you donate $10 or $20 right now to support more of this essential work?
Image credit: MetropolitanRepublic Uganda
EPA Found No Threat of Air Pollution During an Oil Spill in Louisiana’s Bayou Lafourche Despite Sickening Fumes
— By Julie Dermansky and Sharon Kelly (13 min. read) —
Was the environmental monitoring for the Crescent Midstream oil spill as robust as regulators claim?
How A British-owned PR Firm Helped ‘Squash’ Pipeline Protests in Uganda
— By TJ Jordan (13 min) —
MetropolitanRepublic enlisted social media influencers to promote giant oil project as climate campaigners suffered beatings and arrests.
Mapped: Inside Ireland’s Powerful Farming Lobby
— By Phoebe Cooke and Michaela Herrmann (14 min. read) —
The dense network illustrates a “well oiled machine” of intersecting influence that is preventing Ireland from addressing its poor air and water quality and meeting its climate targets, campaigners say.
Advertising Industry Has Over a Thousand Contracts With Polluting Industries: Report
— By Ellen Ormesher (4 min. read) —
Campaign group’s newest report underlines the scope of the ad and PR sector’s ongoing relationships with fossil fuel companies.
Big Ag’s Road to Brazil
— By Rachel Sherrington and Hazel Healy (4 min. read) —
DeSmog re-launches investigative series to track agribusiness’ influence over climate and nature policy in a critical year for decisions on the future of food and farming.
From the Climate Disinformation Database: The Irish Farmers’ Association
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) is Ireland’s largest farming representative organization and its most active lobbyist on agriculture, food, and the environment. The IFA has been criticized for frequently opposing or delaying climate legislation in Ireland where the livestock sector accounts for 38 percent of national GHG emissions. Over the past decade, the IFA has frequently cited technology innovation and efficiency improvement as methods for reducing the agriculture sector’s climate impact. However, in 2021 the European Court of Auditors presented evidence that efficiency measures had so far failed to cut emissions. It stated that due to its growing livestock herd, Ireland had “seen substantial emissions increases.”
Read the full profile and browse other individuals and organizations in our Climate Disinformation Database, Ad & PR Database, and Koch Network Database.
